The Adventure of the Scientists' Logdings
by unseenu
Summary: Holmes and Watson suddenly find themselves in an unfamiliar apartment in an unfamiliar time period.What can Holmes deduce about the the world of Sheldon and Leonard?
1. An Author's note

Driven primarily by a fear of being thought mad or accused of falsifying fantastic occurrences,I have long delayed in making the enclosed narrative public. At one time I held onto the notion of publishing it as work of speculation on the future,in the tradition of writers such as Wells. Holmes,however, objected to this. Out of respect for my dear friend I agreed to his proposal that it would be best if this curious matter were never spoken of again. I write this with no intention of it being published in my lifetime,but shall preserve it, that it might be read in later ages where what occurred will be more readily accepted. The work of Doctor Cooper and his friends may be key in bringing this world about. It gives me some comfort as I near the end of my life that,through memoirs such as this one, the legacy of my dearest friend,Sherlock Holmes, will not fade.

-First page of a leather notebook,found among the property of the late Doctor John Watson.


	2. A sudden change in scenery

The most _outr__é _adventure in my eventful life began innocuously enough. I was sat in my accustomed seat in my Baker Street lodgings,bathing in the comforting glow of the fire as my friend Holmes wove a peaceful tune on his Stradivarius. It had been a tiring day as we were both called to examine a minor burglary,there was little about it to interest Holmes and he seemed quite irked at being plucked away from his chemical work to cast his expert eye over such a trivial happening. As we returned he mentioned to me that he thought the event may have been related to something of considerably greater importance in the area, but he would not elaborate. As I sat in that chair and listened to Holmes play I could barely think beyond the great sense of comfort and satisfaction that enveloped me. I expected to sit there for a few hours more and then retire,sadly this peaceful plan was not to be.

What happened at that point is a little difficult to describe,it were as though I blinked and the room about me had changed entirely. The crackling of the fire and Holmes' music ceased instantly,he was still sat across from me though without his violin,and on a completely different chair!

I stood in disbelief and looked about me, the room we now found ourselves in was entirely alien to us, though retained something of the homely atmosphere of Baker street. Holmes had also stood from the shock and glanced around our new surroundings wildly.

I had stood up from the end of a leather couch, facing a curious dull mirror upon an oak table. On the border of this mirror was branded the name 'Toshiba'. A glance behind me revealed an expanse of low bookshelves,littered with strange and colourful sculptures amongst the volumes. Another corner of the room appeared to be a food preparation area,in another there were two tidy desks and filing cabinets. Dotted around this unusual domestic scene were strange white slates with dense looking equations scrawled on them in ink. Here and there were disorganised piles of odd looking implements whose use we could only guess at.

Holmes cleared his throat and was the first of us to speak, "What has happened here Watson? Have I slipped into some dream and am now sleeping next to the fire?"

"I doubt it," I replied, "This seems real to me,though I cannot begin to imagine what has befallen us. What do you make of it?"

Holmes gathered his thoughts for a moment and then declared, "I cannot yet determine how we came to be here,but I perceive a little about where we find ourselves,which may serve as a starting point to explain the situation. This appears to be a small set of rooms,inhabited by two gentlemen,not dissimilar to our own living arrangement. One of them is most definitely a scientist if not both,the inhabitants also appear to be fairly well off financially. They occasionally entertain a small group of friends,one of whom is a woman who lives close by. Hmm,I see that one of these men is a great deal taller than the other and has a habit of sitting at this end of the couch. "

He indicated the far right of the sofa which I had found myself on. I beamed with admiration at his skill,which he seemed to acknowledge with the most subtle of bows. "I know your methods Holmes,"said I, "But I am still at a loss to see how you reached several of those points."

"It is simplicity itself,"said Holmes, "The contents of their library and these equations should proclaim as much. If that is not enough,this room is one of the most heavily electrified that I have ever seen. Only a scientist could have access to such advanced equipment,observe the contraption on this desk for instance."

He crossed to the desk in question and gestured to the curious creation which sat upon it. It was a thin box made of some form of Bakelite,attached to this was a hinged lid that stood open,bearing a black square of padding . The surface of the box was coated in a mind boggling array of letters and symbols which I recognised immediately as a typewriter keyboard. Several insulated wires emerged from this device like grotesque tentacles and vanished into other devices around the desk. Holmes looked at it intently before speaking, "This would appear to be some form of electronically assisted typewriter,at a guess the text emerges here." He tapped another Bakelite construct,from which protruded a stack of blank paper.

"There are other cables which seem to vanish into the wall,suggesting that this machine is also capable of telegraphy. Imagine it Watson! Being able to send messages instantly from your home to anywhere in the world simply by typing. So much more convenient than a wire no? It is the fact that they own such complex electric machines which leads me to remark that they are financially well off. "

"I see that,but what about the other points that you made? that they have a small group of friends and that one of them is a woman?"said I.

"From observing the rug placed around this sofa of course,"said Holmes, "If you observe the subtle impressions there are four of five different shoes present. One of these has an indent a little behind the main impression suggesting a woman's high heeled shoe. Another distinct footmark is fairly large and frequent suggesting one of our two illusive residents,his stride indicates that he is a tall man. In addition to this the majority of his marks lead to this position on the couch,showing his fondness for it."

"Marvellous Holmes,"I said,these demonstrations losing none of their intrigue each time I was exposed to them, "So what does that mean for us?"

"I think,Watson, the best thing to do is await these two scientists and determine what they intend to do with us, if they are even aware that we are here. For you see-"

Holmes was interrupted by the unmistakeable sound of a bolt sliding back. We both turned silently towards the room's front door,upon which hung an old dartboard. We held our breath as the door swung open...


	3. A confrontation and some explanation

In through the door wandered two colourfully dressed gentlemen, carrying shallow cardboard boxes from which the smell of food issued. Just as Holmes had prophecised,one of them towered high above the other. He was neatly coiffeured and so slender that he seemed to resemble a giant insect. I saw something of Holmes in his mannerisms and analytical eyes. His companion was short, bespectacled and had unkempt a head of black hair. Something about the eccentric appearance of the two led me to conclude that they were American. This assumption was confirmed by the accent of the tall one when he spoke,

"Intruders! Go to defence plan alpha Leonard!" he yelled rapidly with great fear in his voice. The man set his boxes down and rushed to a corner of the room, from which he produced a long glass sabre. Brandishing this he advanced on us, I gave a yelp of surprise as the formidable club began to glow with an ethereal green light.

The shorter of the pair gave a weary sigh as he crossed to the food preparation area and rotated a plaque bearing a gold lion rampant on a field of azure. I later learned that this was an imitation of the practice of flying an upside-down flag aboard a ship in distress.

"Who are you! State your intent!" barked the tall man. The shorter figure returned from his task at the pantry and came over to me looking most apologetic, "You'll have to forgive my room-mate, he's, err...he's crazy." he said.

Holmes approached the man with the unusual sabre,remaining completely composed, he held a hand forward, "Put down your weapon sir," he stated calmly, "From your blind panic I see that you had no idea that we were in your home. I am Sherlock Holmes and this is my good friend Doctor John Watson . We have just this minute awoken on these premises and are trying to find an explanation, it is likely that some drug or mesmeric influence has been used on us. This would of course suggest foul play,if you give us a little information as to our whereabouts we shall gladly be on our way."

The man sighed incredulously,raising his finger in an unusual manner, "LARPing is not an excuse for entering a private residence, but, as a roleplayer myself I understand that it's just not polite to shatter the imaginary worlds of others. I shall play along on condition that you leave immediately."

Holmes nodded. The meaning of much of what the man had said passed over my head, as it seemed to contain many unusual American idioms. The man continued with a slight note of sarcasm in his voice, "Why, Mister Holmes! I have read something of your exploits,of course I will help you. This apartment building is located on North Los Robles avenue, Pasadena California. I am Doctor Sheldon Cooper and this is my room-mate Doctor Leonard Hofstader. Unfortunately we know nothing of this matter so don't disturb us again. Goodbye Mister Holmes, Doctor, I hope you catch your criminal."

This unusual monologue ceased and the man called Cooper suddenly returned to his previous demeanour, " Alright, get out." he said sharply. Naturally we obeyed and quit the strange pair onto a carpeted landing.

"How bizarre," was all I could utter.

"Indeed Watson,"said Holmes, "Nothing sits right about this in the slightest. If we were in London one minute and in California the next,we have clearly been under sedation for weeks. I think the next step should be to determine the current date."

I thought for a moment and replied, "Well we can't very well go back in there and ask those two chaps,they think we are no-good intruders. Perhaps we should try at another apartment."

Holmes agreed and we crossed to the door directly opposite the one which led to the home of the two eccentrics. Holmes knocked three times and waited. The door was answered by the most beautiful young creature which I have ever seen. She wore a tight fitting short sleeved shirt and,most shockingly of all, thin denim trousers. Even Holmes blushed a little as he beheld her.

"Yeah?" she uttered with a charming American twang.

"Good evening miss,ah, from the set of clothes laid out on your sofa I see you are a waitress"said Holmes, "We are sorry to disturb you but we would like to enquire as to the current date."

"Date? I'm not going on any date! not since last night anyway. Is this some weird way of asking me out?...Are you friends with Sheldon and Leonard?"

Holmes thought for a moment before replying, "We have met."

"Leonard! Sheldon! Get out here! Your friends are freaking me out!"she screamed.

Before we knew it the two scientists had rushed out to the girl's aid. They looked perplexed and concerned as they recognised us.

"Who are these two guys?" uttered the girl.

Doctor Cooper spoke up, "They are two LARPers claiming to be Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson."

"Who?" replied the girl,looking utterly stupefied.

Cooper sighed at her ignorance, "Penny really. You must know Sherlock Holmes the great detective,he is an icon of English literature,created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."

The name seemed familiar to me. The girl, Penny, replied, "Wait, I thought you said you hated literature Sheldon?"

Cooper thought for a moment before replying, "Ordinarily yes, it's one of the most pointless human efforts. I first learned of Sherlock Holmes while watching an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation."

"So literature's pointless but Star Trek isn't?"

"Shut up Penny," scoffed Cooper,rather rudely.

"Wait a minute!" I spoke up, "You said Arthur Conan Doyle? He's my literary agent! Are you saying he's been claiming my writings as his own?"

He turned to me,seeming to think about something for a moment, "You are either taking your LARP very seriously or you are actually Holmes and Watson, transplanted from your own universe into this one."

"Sheldon that's ridiculous!" declared his companion Leonard.

"No it's not,"replied Sheldon, shaking his head theatrically "There's absolutely nothing in quantum theory to prevent particles instantly shifting from one location to another Leonard. It would take astronomical odds for it to happen to every subatomic particle of two complex organisms at once _and _for those two organisms to arrive intact within a few feet of each other...However it becomes very likely to occur, if not certain, when you consider that there is an infinite number of universes. It had to happen somewhere. If you find it unlikely that one of the Holmeses and one of the Watsons vanished from their own universe and appeared here then it is equally likely that they were spontaneously created in our own universe. They just happened to resemble the Holmes and Watson of fiction,complete with their neural patterns. In another universe they might have been characters from Star Trek, or a trash can,or a clown made out of candy...or-"

"Sheldon if that's actually happened then it would be paradigm shifting,"

"No it's not," said Sheldon once more, "It happens all the time on the subatomic scale,finding a chunk of matter resembling Holmes and Watson is no stranger than finding the virgin Mary in the grain of a plank.

Holmes cleared his throat, "Excuse me sir,"he said, "I know something of chemical processes but what you speak of is ineffable twaddle, particles spontaneously appearing indeed! This is the Nineteenth Century for pity's sake,you claim to be a scientist yet show no rational thought."

Cooper looked offended for a moment, "Well here it is no longer the nineteenth Century, and science has moved on a little since you were dabbing acids onto your skin. Why not come in for a beverage? Perhaps a little of our pizza while I explain a few things?"

With that he gestured politely that we should follow him back into his apartment. Feeling overcome with the confusing situation, and encouraged by his slightly more polite attitude,we sheepishly returned to the comfortable living room where we had first found ourselves. It was going to be one of the most interesting nights of my life.


	4. A most remarkable evening

That evening we sat up long into the night conversing with our new acquaintances,dining upon their novel Italian dish of melted cheese on thick bread. In a long free-roaming discussion they explained to us that it was now several years after the second millennium and talked us through some of the miraculous devices which the never-ending march of science had made possible. Full colour moving images were viewable on many devices, even for two rational Englishmen such as Holmes and myself, the effect seemed truly magical. It was now common for plays to be performed once and be preserved in this ghostly form for all eternity. I had of course seen crude cinematography at the fair but those flickering monochromes seemed somewhat pathetic compared to what I now beheld. I was very much flattered to discover that my own accounts of Holmes' exploits had been adapted into such picture-plays,some of them a little more fanciful than others. Holmes scoffed at one short sketch which showed him battling supernatural creatures.

"If you don't like that," said Doctor Cooper, "We won't show you the infamous animated series 'Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd century', although I suppose it is similar to your current situation. Oh of course! You simply have to watch 'Elementary dear Data' ."

With this he inserted a silver disc into the viewing machine which I had earlier called a mirror in my naivety. He was playing for us an episode of a series which attempted to portray an even more distant future,in which mankind trekked across the stars in sealed vessels. In this world,the magic of moving images had been taken even further,to the point where it was now possible to be entirely immersed in the image and to interact with it. Two crew-members of the airship around which the series centred, had taken advantage of this technology to role-play as Holmes and myself. Holmes smiled at the skilful imitation of his deductive powers by the pale skinned gentleman but was a little affronted by his constant wearing of a deerstalker hat,

"That damned artist of yours Watson,"he muttered under his breath.

When this enjoyable if bizarre tribute to the work of myself and my companion was concluded,our hosts preceded to give us a demonstration of their portable telephones. These devices were among the most powerful which we witnessed in that fascinating glimpse into the future. They were the size of pocket-books,yet were capable of transmitting telegrams and even voices over vast distances. After showing us the basic principles,they handed them over to us and graciously invited us to play at using them. Holmes took Cooper's device into another room and laughed with childish glee as he wirelessly uttered the message "Watson,come here, I want to see you!" mimicking the words of Bell.

Holmes returned and the four of us once again gathered around the televisual device, we watched as the two doctors inserted several peripheral devices into that wondrous screen. We were told that this was to demonstrate a form of gaming which used responsive moving pictures. After becoming familiar with the controls, Holmes quickly became the clear winner in a somewhat violent game in which the object was to kill your opponents using firearms. He was as absorbed in the on-screen motions as I have ever seen him while calculating his next course of action in a case.

"Despite the vivid imagery it remains simple mathematics to adjust my position for a fatal strike. At it's core this activity is much like chess."he uttered to the world in general. Doctor Cooper nodded approvingly.

After partaking in these enjoyable activities with the two men,the initial enmity which had tainted our first meeting was all but forgotten.

"This has been fun guys,"remarked Doctor Hofstader jovially , "we should have people from the nineteenth century over more often."

"From _a _nineteenth century Leonard, not ours,"commented Cooper.

"Indeed it has been a most remarkable evening," said Holmes as he stood up. "Would you be so good as to recommend a hotel?

"No."said doctor cooper,shaking his head emphatically.

Holmes looked puzzled.

"No I would not recommend a hotel, Windows that don't open, multiuser bedsheets,keys in the shape of credit cards. Oh I'm sorry they're a form of electronic payment which uses a plastic card somewhat like a playing card. As you can imagine keys have no business being shaped like them." He smiled falsely, signalling the end of another of his monologues which rivalled Holmes' for their oddness.

A look of realisation dawned on Holmes' face, "Payment! It had completely slipped my mind that neither of us has any currency in this world. Least of all anything that has remained legal tender. Would it be too much to ask of your patience to allow us a night here?"

Doctor Cooper seemed to think long and hard about this, "Hmm, I suppose, there is a clause in the room mate agreement offering asylum to people displaced in time,on condition they have proven that there not malevolent robots. I shall have to administer the test. Ok, so you're walking along in the desert and you see a turtle turned on its back-"

"Just let them stay Sheldon!" snapped his companion wearily. I shot him a look of understanding. I was all too aware of living with the strain of a dear friend's trying habits.

And so it came to pass that I spent the night upon the couch, drifting asleep with Holmes by my head in the adjacent armchair. I lay half awake,hardly daring to guess what adventures the next day would bring.


	5. Yet more wonders of the modern world

I awoke to the sound of glorious violin music, not the familiar plucking of Holmes but a full bodied orchestra. Had I vanished once more and appeared in some vast concert hall?

I sat up and was pleasantly surprised to find myself still upon the scientists' couch,with radiant American sunlight pouring into the room. Holmes was sat at one of the desks, the typewriter-box which he had made such a thorough examination of upon our arrival was open before him. It's wafer thin screen bore dense text. I noticed that my friend's eyes were barely blinking and he was utterly still,as though in the deepest of trances,all the while the ethereal orchestra continued their rousing concerto. I then realised that the music was originating from carefully concealed vibrating cones,much like those used in telephones. Holmes did not react as I crossed over to tap him lightly on the shoulder.

"This internet Watson," he croaked weakly after a long pause, "It's wonderful."

I should note at this point that the 'internet' to which he referred was a globe-spanning network of cables which directed information to screens on devices such as the one he was using. It was used, much as Holmes predicted,for instantly conveying pictures and messages. Holmes basked in the music for a moment before continuing, "At any time of day or night, any piece of music of you care to think of can be heard simply by writing it's name. You would have to be a rich man indeed to have an orchestra provide such a service."

I had long known of Holmes' love of music. The idea of having such ready access to whatever piece his heart desired, without having to go through the hassle of attending the theatre,must of have seemed like sheer bliss to him. I myself was exited by the possibility, "This I must see for myself Holmes," I said, "Let's hear, erm, Vivaldi."

Holmes smiled knowingly as he clacked at the keys, pictures flashing before my eyes. Within moments, the rapid bouncing tones of Vivaldi's 'Spring' filled the tiny apartment.

"Incredible!" I declared, over the invisible band.

"That is but a fraction of what this magic mirror may offer us,"continued Holmes, "I once remarked to you upon the virtues of a well stocked library,but the sheer volume of facts I may conjure here would eclipse all the libraries of England. I think of chemistry,write that word, and all the chemical knowledge known to man appears before me. I have sat up all night making delightful new furniture for my attic with wood from this literally endless lumber yard."

Men less familiar with my friend would have expressed concern at this,but I was well acquainted with his frequent bouts of insomnia.

"My goodness me Holmes, with such a boundless fount of knowledge, every inhabitant of this world must share the intelligence of our scientist friends."

"Sadly this is not the case Watson," he replied, " In my wanderings through it's pathways I have discovered nonsensical rants written by the worst dullards I can imagine. Not only that, much like any city,beneath the glittering façades lies a tangled web of crime. The snaking networks of Moriarty are nothing compared to the treachery which may be seen upon this screen. I have come across countless pages devoted to the most unsavoury human activities imaginable. Battles are being fought daily against the organs of justice with the villains never getting up from the comfort of their lounge chairs. Ah here comes doctor cooper."

I turned but there was no sign of him, seconds later a door opened and in he walked. I stared at Holmes incredulously. "Oh do not think me clairvoyant," he muttered, "I heard the lavatory flush and Doctor Cooper has the most unusual habit of prominently displaying a chart of his bowel movements."

"Good morning Sherlock Holmes,"declared Cooper, "Hmm,not every day you get to say that."

He gave a sharp inhalation of breath which might have been a laugh. His face suddenly dropped as something dawned on him, "You're on my laptop! How did you get my password?"

Holmes shrugged, "You typed it openly on more than one occasion during last night's entertainments, I simply had to recall the movement of your hands. The basic layout of typing devices is one of the multitude of things which has remained constant in the years that separate us."

"Impressive, but please refrain from using my laptop without permission in future." replied Cooper. One of the things which struck me about the scientist was that compared to the others of his time,he spoke in exceedingly formal tones. It was as if the years which had distorted the English language had bypassed this fellow entirely, leaving him with a dialect much more on par with Holmes and myself. I put this down to his great intelligence.

Dr Hofstader emerged shortly afterwards and we breakfasted together. This was another sterling example of the advances which had occurred over the years, the bacon and eggs were removed from an electronically cooled larder before being cooked to perfection on electric heating elements. Water was boiled for our coffee with the click of a switch upon a bakelite kettle.

"Think of what poor Mrs Hudson would give to own this little lot," commented Holmes.

I nodded,understanding his point entirely. Our dear old housekeeper would no longer have to rise at ungodly hours of the morning to slave over a fire for our selfish comfort.

"Listen guys," said Leonard Hofstader in between bites. "Me and Sheldon were talking last night. The thing is, we don't know how long it's going to be before you return to your own universe,if it happens at all."

Holmes nodded gravely, "Similar thoughts had crossed my mind."

"So we were thinking, perhaps you'd like to take some chemical work at the university. You might be a little behind on modern techniques but I'm almost certain we can get you in as a lab assistant. "

"That sounds splendid!" said Holmes,lighting up with genuine enthusiasm.

"That's all well and good for Holmes but what shall become of me?"said I, "I can't be trusted with medical work, I have enough sense to know that my skills would seem awfully backward to modern patients."

Doctor Cooper answered my plea, "I have a friend who studies the brain. I telephoned her last night and, after she rather pointlessly told me that it was three o'clock in the morning, she said she'd be willing to take you on. I didn't tell her who you really were of course, just that you were a friend from England."

"That sound's acceptable," I said, "When would we settle into these roles?"

"We have to head to work shortly but we can introduce you to the heads of department at lunch," answered Hofstader, " In the meantime you can go shopping for some Twenty first Century clothes. I've been talking Penny from across the hall and she says she can take you."

"Wait a moment,when have you had the opportunity to talk to her?" I asked in confusion.

Hofstader smiled, holding up his portable telegraph, "I've been talking to her since we sat down."

Moments later, we found ourselves on the landing outside. With a few notes of borrowed currency in our pocket, we waved goodbye to the two doctors as they vanished down the stairwell on their way to work. I could see that Holmes was idly reading meaning into our surroundings as we waited for the young girl to appear from her rooms.


	6. The grand marketplace

The girl known simply as Penny emerged and greeted us warmly. She wore a colourful shirt and a skirt so short that it would have been considered indecent in our own day. All notions of modesty seemed to have vanished from Twenty first Century America, I pondered on how much the state of dress might have decayed back on our own beloved isle. After we had exchanged names she began leading us down short flights of stairs to identical landings. She chattered endlessly as we made our descent.

"So Leonard tells me that you guys are visiting from England"she asked. "I've always wanted to go there,what's it like?"

" Much like you have read I imagine," said Holmes, "Rolling grassland where crimes may be committed with impunity, gas-lit cities bathed in fog and steeped in manure from traffic."

A look of intrigue and confusion stole across her adorable features, this was clearly not an answer she had expected, "Wow, I thought it was only like that in movies, A friend from Nebraska went there for a few days last year and she loved it."

"Several weeks at sea seems like a lot to put oneself through for only a few days holiday," said Holmes.

Penny laughed heartily , "That's British humour isn't it? She flew there in a couple hours of course."

Holmes and I exchanged an incredulous look. Before our ignorance of life in this new age could be further exposed we had emerged from a well lit lobby and out into morning air. We glanced around in wonder at what we beheld. Gone was the rustic woodenness which I had previously associated with the States, great stone towers rose spectacularly into the sky. In between them rushed countless horseless carriages, fashioned entirely from brightly painted metal. I had once witnessed an exhibition of an oil propelled chariot from Germany, this rather primitive contraption must have been the great-grandfather of the magnificent beasts which now careered past me in a never ending cavalcade.

Penny led us around the side of the building to a wide open space in which several of the machines were lying empty. She crossed to one of them and inserted a key into it's door. Holmes and I entered and positioned ourselves on the comfortable fabric of the rear seats, despite the strangeness of our surroundings, we were welcomely reminded of the hansoms which we so often frequented. Holmes glanced around wildly as Penny operated controls, sending us rolling gently away to join the steady stream of metal boxes. He revelled in exotic new forms of data as we barrelled towards our mysterious destination.

" There are entirely foreign symbols and signals at work in this eclectic maze of machines Watson," he announced,thinking aloud, "The pictographs and coloured lamps which adorn this route seem deeply layered in meaning for these drivers. I must make a proper study of them while I am here, for at present much of their significance is as imperceptible to me as the subtle semaphore of a cabbie's whip might be to the people who call this era home."

"Yeah, I guess the road signs round here are bound to be a little different to what you're used to back home." said our driver, blissfully ignorant to our true nature. I theorised to myself that spending time in the company of the eccentric doctors had attuned her to hearing barely understood technical musings, so that the suspicious words of my friend might not sound all that unusual to her. Our miraculous vehicle trundled on as Penny's collection of electronic music began to fill our ears.

A few minutes later we slowed and halted in another open space much grander than the one from which we had begun our exiting journey. Hundreds of other conveyances, no two identical, stretched as far as the eye could see over the black tarmac. In the centre of this vast gathering rose a mighty cathedral of a structure.

"Here we are,"smiled Penny excitedly as we disembarked, "Welcome to the best mall in Pasadena."

As we approached this sprawling building,we saw a stream of people of all ages pouring in and out, laden down with purchases that they had no doubt made in this vast complex. We came to a glass panel which slid aside by some mechanical trickery to allow us access to a cavernous tiled hall. Lining the perimeter of this space were a multitude of colourful boutiques, giving the impression of a vibrant roofed city. Like a native sherparing two baffled explorers, our fair companion ushered us towards a wide room filled with attractive displays of clothing. Tailoring, it seemed, had all but fallen by the wayside over the years. Apparel was now manufactured in vast quantities and deposited in outlets such as the one we found ourselves in. It was then up to the common man or woman to select that which was most suited to his own stature. With invaluable aid from young Penny,we soon found ourselves in contemporary suits that would be suitable for our introduction to the university staff. In addition to this we had purchased a bundle of more casual clothing for everyday use. Thus dressed, we were about to take our leave when Holmes stopped dead in his tracks. He dropped to his knees and stared in frantic fascination at a man's shirt which was carelessly strewn on the floor.

"Oh dear me,dear dear me,"he muttered, springing to his feet. Without another word he dashed off among the racks of clothing, occasionally glancing at the floor. Within moments he was out of the door and vanished at a full run into the main complex. The young lady and I stood dumbfounded for a moment before perusing him,leaving bewildered onlookers in our wake. We saw his dashing new suit in the distance making for a higher level of the building via a set of mechanical steps,pushing through the throng we were soon close behind him.

"Holmes!"I called as we were propelled ever higher, but he seemed oblivious to my presence. We looked on as he disembarked the escalator and collared a seemingly innocent but rough looking youngster.

"You'd best hand over whatever you have just stolen or you shall be much the worse off for it my dear fellow,"he declared sternly.

"Ok fine, take it, mister, erm...crazy...Brit guy you!" spat the impudent young man he as theatrically threw a gentleman's leather wallet to the ground. This unpleasant soul then vanished into the crowd and troubled us no more.

"What the heck was that all about?" asked Penny.

"Is it not obvious my girl?"said Holmes, "Our young friend must have earlier stood in a mess such as that one,"

He gestured to a discarded paper cup from which a pink liquid oozed.

"Upon the shirt which caught my eye was a distinct stain which showed that he had strode past rather briskly. Another,more subtle mark was present, this time in ordinary dirt. These feet were pointing towards the display,suggesting that this poor man was perusing it when our thieving friend brushed right past his personal space. As any gentleman on the streets of London could tell you, when a man 'accidentally' clips you in this fashion, the contents of your pocket is most likely gone. I caught sight of small pink spatters from his beverage-covered shoes and followed them."

"That's amazing!"declared our companion, "You should have been a detective instead of a scientist!"

Holmes and I shared a knowing glance.

"That may be,"chuckled he, "But all that is of importance now is the return of this object to it's rightful owner."

He respectfully unclasped it and examined it's contents, "Hmm, Mister Howard Wolowitz."

Penny gave a sudden gasp of disbelief. It was clear from her reaction that she knew this man.


	7. Meeting Mister Wolowitz

By remarkable coincidence, it transpired that the unfortunate Mister Wolowitz was a close friend of our two associates and young Penny. Within moments she had raised him on her portable telephone and we found ourselves descending the stairs to meet him. He greeted Penny warmly and we were introduced as 'Sherlock' and 'John'. He was an exceedingly short gentleman with neat black hair, most probably of the Jewish faith. I expected that Holmes would no doubt read more about him than this, I was not disappointed.

"Hmm, I see that you are an engineer who resides in his mother's house and that you frequently perform conjuring tricks." he remarked casually as he handed over the grateful man's wallet.

Mr Wolowitz was taken aback, he wore the same expression I had seen countless clients don when Holmes worked his own brand of conjuring trick.

"Did Penny tell you all that?"he asked, a little confused by Holmes' unusual comment.

The girl theatrically shook her head.

"I simply had to read it in the contents of your bag and the hand with which you reclaimed your property. I observe that the purchases you have made for yourself lie intermixed with those clearly destined for a lady much older than yourself, therefore they cannot be for the blond girl to which you recently became engaged,my congratulations by the way-"

Wolowitz gave another start at this, nothing had been said about the existence of such a girl.

"If not the girl,"continued Holmes, "Then I deduced, your mother. If they are for your mother,then why are they placed in a single bag? Surely it would be more logical to have placed them in separate bags had you lived apart. Ergo you must be planning to unload them in the same location,the only logical inference is that you live with your mother. As for your profession and your hobby of conjuring, your left thumb proclaims you to be an engineer. Unlike the last engineer I encountered, yours is still attached to it's hand."

I nodded knowingly at this, recalling the incident to which my friend alluded.

"It is the palm of that hand which speaks of your affiliation with the prestidigitative arts. It bears a ring of calluses which is only formed by routinely concealing coins in the palm."

"That's amazing! No wonder they call you Sherlock!...I suppose you're Dr Watson, right ?" he jested with glee.

"That is correct,"said I, nodding assertively.

At this the man burst into a fit of laughter. " Ahh that's a good one! Well it's been great meeting you guys. I gotta drop ma off at her bingo then get back to work, I owe you one for gettin' my wallet back Sherlock. See ya Penny."

With this he was gone before we could explain that before long we may be working alongside him...

Newly suited we left that grand marketplace into the glorious midday sun. We once more boarded Penny's machine and headed in high spirits for our appointment at the university. We alighted at another of the tarmac squares which seemed to do for the conveyances what stables once did for coaches. I later learned that some even had stableboys known as valets who would take the helm of your vehicle and guide it to a berth for a small fee. Our two hosts came towards us, Doctor Hofstader grinned broadly as he approached Holmes.

"Howard phoned me about his wallet, good going, I wish I was there. It's not every day you have the opportunity to see Sherlock Holmes in his element."

Holmes nodded modestly, "On the contrary Doctor Hofstader,"he said, "If this interview goes well, you may have the opportunity of seeing me working at problems for the foreseeable future. Albeit of a chemical rather than a criminal nature."

Somewhere behind me, I heard the metallic rattle of Penny's motor-vehicle pulling away.

"Right then let's make a start gentlemen," said doctor cooper as he led us away into the building.


End file.
